Harry Potter 1. Sugar

_Author's Note: Hi! This is my first attempt at a fanfiction. I actually don't know where this story is going yet... But we'll see! I hope you enjoy this story!_

****_Disclaimer: All the characters and themes belong to the queen, J.K. Rowling! Only the plot of this story is mine!_

**Chapter One: Icing Sugar**

Snow was beginning to fall, thinly covering the Hogwarts Castle like icing sugar on a cake. Leaves on trees had been replaced with small, brittle icicles and the green grass from the Quidditch pitch was no longer seen. Students walked from class to class huddled in thick jackets and scarves, breathing out white clouds of steam. Many Hogwarts students were now befriending the visiting students from Durmstrang and Beauxbaton, many girls seen to be linking arms with the beautiful French students from Beauxbaton and others, striding alongside the pupils from Durmstrang, making small talk – Quidditch being the most common amongst the many topics.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, however, kept to themselves and their Hogwarts schoolmates with whom they were familiar with, but all the same acted as generous hosts towards the visiting guests. Harry, being the known for his title as 'The Boy Who Lived' and now, as the fourth competitor in the Triwizard Tournament, earned many strange and judgemental looks and whispers and few admiring glances from the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students.

The Yule Ball was to be held in less than 20 days, and neither Ron nor Harry had found partners to accompany them to this traditional event. Hermione insisted more than once that she would not be attending, due to the many assignments she had to complete; neither of the two boys had pressed on after trying to convince her to go. The subject was rarely brought up, although more and more students were now seen walking with their companions.

* * *

><p>Seventeen days before the Yule Ball was to be held, Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room looking pleased, and slightly embarrassed. He settled into an armchair by the window where Hermione was working on her Herbology essay.<p>

'Where's Ron?' Harry asked.

'Um… I think he's got detention with Snape for dropping the Porcupine Quills in lesson yesterday. Where've you been? It's almost nine, and we finished dinner at eight,' Hermione asked suspiciously.

'Nowhere. I'm going to take a shower,' he replied, blushing slightly as he pushed himself up from the armchair and heading towards his dormitory. As Harry disappeared round the staircase, Ron burst into the common room.

'Where's Harry?' Ron asked, slumping into the chair that Harry had just occupied.

'For a shower,' Hermione answered without looking up from her essay. 'What did Snape make you do this time?'

'He made me re-label _all_ of the ingredient jars _by hand_,' Ron complained. 'I swear there were at least a thousand!' Hermione fished around in her bag as Ron continued to complain. 'And that stupid git made me miss dinner! By the time I got into the hall, everyone was gone! Even the tables!'

Hermione placed a box on the table in front of Ron.

'Oh, thanks Hermione, you're the best,' Ron said, opening the lid of the box, as the wonderful aroma of chicken, gravy and pasta wafted into the air.

'Harry looked funny when he walked in, did he tell you what he was up to?'

'No,' Ron mumbled with a mouthful of chicken. 'I'm going to finish this upstairs and see what Harry's up to.'

* * *

><p>Pushing Harry by the back, Ron and Harry appeared in the common room once more.<p>

'Okay… I have something to tell you guys,' Harry confessed. Hermione and Ron looked at him with wide eyes. 'IaskedsomeonetotheYuleBall,' he rushed out.

'You what?' Hermione asked. 'All I heard was Yule Ball…'

He cleared his throat, repeating once more. 'I asked someone to the Yule Ball. And they said yes.' His eyes flicking nervously between his two best friends.

Ron looked disappointed and slightly betrayed. Hermione looked surprised. 'Who is it?' She asked.

He hesitated.

'Go on! Tell us who the lucky girl is! To go to the Yule Ball with Harry Potter!'

'Ginny…' He mumbled quietly. But that was loud enough for Ron to hear.

'You asked _my sister_! My sister – _Ginny Weasley_!' Ron repeated, as if it were a joke.

'That's wonderful!' Hermione exclaimed. 'I mean, we all know she's got a crush on you… Ron calm down! They're only going to attend the ball! You're only jealous because _you_ haven't got the bloody courage to ask someone to go with you!' With that, Ron settled back into his chair, looking redder than the Durmstrang cloak. 'I don't mean it that way, Ronald. But if you want to go with someone who looks relatively attractive, you'll have to ask someone soon! I know! Why don't you ask Luna? Luna's very nice and she's quite pretty too.'

'Loony Lovegood? _Loony_ Lovegood? Are you kidding me?'

'Are you talking about Luna?' Ginny asked, as she approached the table of three. 'Oh, hi Harry,' she said, her cheeks tinting. 'Who's asking Luna?'

'Your brother is. You don't by any chance know if Luna's got a date to the Yule Ball, do you?' Harry piped up.

'No, she hasn't. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to go with you, Ron.' Ginny replied. 'I'll ask her for you tomorrow in Potions, alright? Don't worry, she's very nice. Just a bit peculiar.'

'There, all sorted. I'm going off to sleep. Goodnight.' Hermione said, leaving the two boys.

* * *

><p>'Draco,' Pansy Parkinson's whiny voice brought Draco Malfoy from his thoughts back to the Slytherin common room. 'Look at this corsage, Draco. Look!' She said, shoving a Witches Weekly catalogue into his face. 'Don't you think it looks <em>amazing<em>? My dress is going to be red, it'll fit so well!' She squealed.

'Very nice,' he murmured half-heartedly. 'I'm going to bed, Pansy. Goodnight.' Draco got up from the plush sofa he was sitting on, heading towards the boys' staircase.

'But Draco..!' Pansy trailed off as he leaped up the staircase, taking the steps three at a time. Pushing open the door to him room, he changed and got into his bed. Draco's mind had been wondering lately. Even with the attractive French girls around him, he hadn't been paying much attention, his thoughts drifting from time to time.

_Salazar was that girl whiny_, Draco thought to himself. Pansy Parkinson had a pug-like face but the body of a goddess. She trailed after him like a clingy, annoying fan-girl with a voice that was too high for her own good. And lately, she had been pointing out corsages and dresses and shoes and whatnot every so often to Draco, shoving magazines in his face. _She's expecting you to take her to the Yule Ball_, he told himself. But Draco was not seeking a girl like Pansy. She was not the brightest, and could not have a verbal sparring contest every so often. All she did was agree with him. More often than not, Draco wished that she would have a mind of her own. But on the other hand, she was the appropriate girl for Draco to be seen with. He came from a wealthy, well-known pureblood family, as did she, and their families had a good relationship, his mother and hers had often planned family vacations during the summer holidays, forcing him to spend more time with her. But what Draco pursued, was a girl with the mind of an aristocrat, not the family background – though his father and he would never approve or choose a girl with a dirty blood status.

He did not want to attend the Yule Ball with Pansy, neither did he want a girl from Beauxbaton – though they were beautiful, many of them were rumoured to be part Veela. He couldn't go with a girl from Gryffindor – never! And Hufflepuffs were a bore. Ravenclaw and Slytherin were the two houses he was left with, and as he made a list of the girls he could go to the ball with, Draco Malfoy drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading my first chapter! How'd I do..? Critical comments are accepted and appreciated, but please try to be nice! It's only my first fanfic! Please review! I'll see if I should continue with the story! :)<em>


	2. Dance

With Me, Chapter Two –Dance

The fourth year Gryffindors pushed their way through the overcrowded halls, making their way through the sea of people towards their Transfiguration lesson with Professor McGonagall. Although the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students had been staying at Hogwarts for over three months now, there were still many confused faces. Book bags were spilt, people were pushed around and feet were stepped on during this mad rush from between class to class. Hermione was sandwiched between Ron and Harry, who were trying to keep her small frame from being knocked over. Finally, they reached the small courtyard that separated the Charms and Transfiguration classrooms. The bushy haired fourth year felt like she could breathe again. _Hogwarts usually seemed so big_, she thought to herself as she shuffled with Harry and Ron across the courtyard.

As they made their way across the small open area, a group of Beauxbaton students stopped them.

'You're Harry _Potter_,' said the girl at the front of the small group, straining the word 'Potter'. '_Je m'appel Elle_,' she said, reaching her hand out towards Harry. It was obvious that Elle was the leader of this small group; she was the most beautiful, with long blonde hair that reached her waist, and blue – almost purple – eyes. She was slightly shorter than Hermione, though she seemed older than them by, perhaps, a year or so. Her legs were long, her waist thin and her nose was high, face in the shape of a tear drop.

'Um, hello,' Harry said, shaking her hand. A few giggles came from the back of the group. 'Nice to meet you…'

'I vos vondering, vould you go to ze Yule Ball viz me?' Elle asked shyly but bravely, batting her long eyelashes at Harry.

'Oh… about that…' Harry started to explain, 'I'm sorry, I'm already going with someone else…' He trailed off nervously. It were as if Elle's eyes had started to shoot fire, glaring at Hermione with anger. 'Oh, no, no, not with Hermione…'

'Vell it vas very nice meeting you,' Elle said curtly, striding off with her groupies, murmuring in French. She seemed disappointed and angry at the same time. Harry and Ron's eyes trailed after her whilst Hermione laughed quietly.

'We better get going,' she said through her giggles. Looking around the now less crowded hallways. 'McGonagall's not going to be happy if we're late you know, Harry _Potter_,' she mimicked Elle. The two boys looked at her, broken from their longing glances after the French girls' shadows. Harry looked like someone had just Stupified him. Ron and Hermione had a short moment of eye contact, before he burst out laughing too.

'Oh, Harry _Potter_,' Ron gasped through laughs. 'Don't you wish you'd have chosen one of those Beauxbaton girls instead of Ginny? Ah, looks like you've got... yourself… some… admirers!' Harry gave Ron a look which made him laugh even harder. Thumping him on the back, Ron and Hermione trailed along behind Harry as they made jokes about starting a Harry Potter fan club as they walked to Transfiguration.

Fortunately, McGonagall had not yet arrived as the three walked toward the crowd of Hufflepuffs, Slytherins and Gryffindors waiting outside her classroom.

'Ah, Potter. Got yourself a little fan club, have we?' Draco Malfoy said sarcastically. 'Was it a picture with your ugly scar they were after? Or did they want your signature?' The blonde mused. His cronies laughed quietly behind him, Crabbe and Goyle having to hold onto each other for support as they laughed at his joke about Harry's scar. 'Why'd they leave so fast? Did you scare them off by telling them about mummy and daddy? Or were they scared of how shabby Weasel-bee looked in his hand-me-down robes and the stench of mud from Granger?'

'I bet it was the mudblood's hair. It looks like a road sign that says "_stop! Don't come near me! I'm hideous"!_' Pansy Parkinson laughed from behind Draco, stopping as the blonde did not laugh at her joke.

Hermione flinched at the word 'mudblood' and Ron noticing the small action, stepped up, towering over Pansy.

'Well at least _she_ doesn't have the face of a pug,' glancing at Pansy's scowling face 'And Malfoy? At least he has _someone_ that wants him who doesn't look like a pug or a potato.'

'Ah, funny that you say that, _Weasley_. Can Potter not fend for himself now? A potato himself? Too precious?' Malfoy smirked.

As Ron was about to lunge for Draco's collar, Professor McGonagall opened the door.

'Sorry to keep you waiting out in the cold. Come in,' she said, introducing them to the classroom.

Except the classroom no longer looked like the regular Transfiguration classroom – with benches and tables lined up neatly. The tables were gone and there was a line of benches pushed against the far side of the classroom. The walls and floors were no longer made of grey bricks, but now as if they were made from solid ice blocks. The curtains were drawn, and a chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the ice walls with a silver glow.

'Today, we are not having a Transfiguration lesson,' McGonagall explained. 'This is a smaller version of what the great hall will look like on the night of the Yule Ball – which all of you are expected to attend, especially Mr Potter,' she said, looking at Harry, making him feel uncomfortable and alienated. 'There is a traditional dance which is led by the competitors and their partners, where all the other guests are expected to join in with. And I will _not_ have Hogwarts students ruining our reputation by looking like a bunch of monkeys on skates! I expect grace and elegance from all of you. And by the end of this double period, I assure all of you that no one will be leaving this classroom without an acceptable dance. '

Many of the boys in the class grumbled in objection to the fact that they were going to be learning how to dance during the lesson. Most of the girls sat straighter, and looked around the room for a male who was not going to bruise their feet during the lesson.

'Ladies, you will not have to look around for a partner, because I have already assigned you partners,' McGonagall noted, seeing the many craning girls. She produced a list from her pocket and started to read out names. 'Mr Potter, you will be with Ms Abbott,' the professor told Harry. Hannah and Harry looked quite pleased that they were paired with each other and shuffled across the room to stand together. 'And as for you, Mr Weasley, you have been paired with Ms Bulstrode.' Ron groaned in disgust. 'Is there a problem with my pairing, Mr Weasley?'

'No professor,' the ginger murmured, shuffling unwillingly towards the bulky Millicent Bulstrode. Harry from across the room was laughing silently, clutching his stomach due to his best friend's bad luck. Hermione gave Ron an encouraging smile which was of no use to Ron, who looked like someone had told him he had failed his test, and was going to get an F for the rest of the term.

Professor McGonagall proceeded through the list, and finally she got to Hermione. _Please, please let it be someone like Ernie_, Hermione prayed silently in her head, _or Neville is fine too_.

'Ms Granger, you will be paired with Mr Malfoy,' the witch told her, moving onto the next student.

Hermione looked like someone had told her Voldemort was actually a nice wizard and was attempting to save Harry instead of killing him, fourteen years ago. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked as if his father had told him he was adopted and actually a muggle born wizard. He shot her a look and she glanced back at him. Harry and Ron looked sympathetic for Hermione, but both looked as if they were to burst out laughing at any time.

Hermione strode towards Draco, looking him in the eye with her chin held high. Her heart was beating fast and her head was spinning slightly but she held her posture and greeted him formally.

'Malfoy.'

'Granger, don't pretend you aren't thrilled to be paired with me. It's your only chance to actually touch a _real pureblood_ wizard. And I know you want to,' he whispered quietly in her ear, causing the hairs on her neck to stand up and sending a shiver down her spine. 'Don't trip over your own feet before we even start dancing, Granger.' _His breath smells like mint toothpaste and winter air_, she noted as he mocked her. _You shouldn't be thinking of that, Hermione_, she scolded herself. _Don't make a fool of yourself in front of Malfoy_. 'Already dreaming of how my hand will feel on your back, mudblood?' The word mudblood made Hermione flinch, bringing her back to reality.

'Thinking of how to avoid your clumsy feet, Malfoy,' she whispered back angrily.

'Nice try, but I think it'll be _your_ clumsy feet I'll be trying to avoid, Gryffindor princess. But I've had ballroom dancing lessons since I was five. Brought up in a rich family that has high social expectations and parties to attend, you know… Unlike Weasley,' Draco said, glancing at Ron.

For some odd reason that Draco could not explain why, he enjoyed this verbal sparring that he had with Hermione. It seemed to him that she was the only one capable of conveying what she had in her mind with words that were not repeated over, and over again. She had the intellect that was on a similar level to his, and perhaps, was the only one who could actually have an argument with him that did not always end pathetically due to the lack of diction.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, cutting off Draco's thoughts and stopping all of the whispers and murmurs that had been going on as she adjusted the large record player that stood in the corner of the room. 'Now, I expect most of you to know a little bit about ballroom dancing….' The old witch explained for five minutes about the origins of ballroom dancing and what she expected her students to be able to do by the end of the lesson. 'Now, gentlemen, place your left hand on your partners' waist and hold her other hand like so,' she explained, demonstrating with a very confused Terry Boot. 'And ladies, place one hand on the arm that he is extending towards your back and hold his hand.'

'Are you ready, Granger?' Draco whispered to Hermione, amongst the other nervous and embarrassed murmurs.

Draco took Hermione's hand with his own and placed another on the small of her back with such pressure that it was almost as if it were not there, but yet, somehow, still there. Hermione's small hand in his own was a strange feeling. She had long, slender fingers like his own, but her hands were smooth, unlike his calloused and rough ones.

_She's quite beautiful_, he thought to himself, looking down at her. Hermione flicked her eyes up to Draco's. _Her eyes are the colour of liquid chocolate_, he noted. Hermione's ivory skin glowed a soft, subtle pink as they made eye contact. _She looks quite beautiful with a pink glow. And her hair… It doesn't look too bad. It's just wavy, not a bush_, he corrected. _Wait… This is Hermione Granger, get a grip of yourself, Draco Malfoy!_ He scolded himself.

Hermione liked the feeling of Draco's hand. She knew she shouldn't, but she did. It was larger than hers – covering her own hand, as if he were holding it to protect her, and his rough and calloused skin had a worked, masculine sense to it. Their fingers interlocked perfectly.

'Good, now hold your pose like this,' McGonagall interrupted, demonstrating the correct posture.

Draco stood slightly taller, the hand on Hermione's hand pushing slightly harder, so that she was pressed more closely against him and so her back was straighter. He readjusted her elbow so that it was at a horizontal angle.

'Didn't know you were a dance teacher, Malfoy,' Hermione said to Draco, looking up at him as he smirked. Hermione noticed the dimple that was barely there when he smirked. And the way that Draco's eyes turned a glassy blue when they were in the light. _Even his eyelashes are blonde_, she thought.

'Now, start moving your feet to the music,' Professor McGonagall said, flicking her wand towards the music player.

'Just follow my step, Granger,' Draco told his partner. 'And don't step on my shoes. They're new.'

'Oh please, Malfoy. Forever caring about how you look,' Hermione laughed, following the beat and his step.

Professor McGonagall weaved through the students, correcting their posture and helping students like Neville with their step and students like Ron with how to avoid his partner's feet. 'Very well done, Ms Granger, Mr Malfoy,' she praised, as she walked by the Slytherin and the Gryffindor. It was as if the brunette and the blonde floated, or walked upon clouds. Their movements were smooth, and they glided across the ice-tiled floor, never once bumping into another pair.

'Ah, thank you professor,' Draco said, as McGonagall walked away. 'It's all me. 'Turns out Granger isn't that much of a know it all.'

'Excuse me! I am too! I'm the one leading the dance here, Malfoy! Stop taking credit for the work that _I'm _doing!'

'Oh really? You're the one who's been stepping on my feet every once in a while, Granger. Not me, no.' Hermione fell silent.

'That was only twice!' She argued.

'Twice was enough,' he replied calmly. 'So who's taking _you_ to the Yule Ball, Gryffindor princess?' She did not reply. 'Has no one asked you?' He laughed. 'I suppose… Weasley is a backup plan?'

'No, Ron isn't my backup plan.' She said quietly. 'Yes… someone has asked me, but I just don't know if I want to go,' she said as they dodged past a clumsy Neville and Padma Patil.

'Well why not?' He inquired thoughtfully. 'Fear you will look ugly next to the other girls?' He threw in at the end, just to sound like Draco Malfoy.

'I just don't want to go, nosy prat. And who are _you _going with, Malfoy? I suppose, you'll be going with _Parkinson_?' He, as she did before, did not reply. 'I'm sure you'll look better than her in the photographs, Malfoy. Don't worry! The Slytherin princess will look beautiful, I'm sure. The tiara is all yours!' She mocked.

'I don't know if I will be going with Pansy. I just…'

The music stopped and lesson was over. Thus, bringing the short lived moments where Draco was friendly towards Hermione to an end.

'Oh, that lesson was _terrible_!' Ron complained as the Golden Trio walked to the main hall for lunch. 'Bulstrode is _such a bull_! I swear, she was the male and I was the girl. The number of times she stepped on my feet… I can't even count!'

'Oh lighten up, Ron,' Harry laughed. 'At least you won't be taking _her_ to the Yule Ball.'

'Easy for you to say, Harry. I mean, you were paired with Hannah Abbott! She's not the size of Hagrid!' Ron continued to whine as they slid into seats at the Gryffindor table. Ron continued to complain about Millicent as he ate.

'Hermione, are you alright?' Harry interrupted Ron. 'You've been really quiet since Transfiguration… Did Malfoy say something to you?'

'Oh! No, I'm fine, just thinking about the Care of Magical Creatures homework we were set.' She replied half-heartedly. But truth be told, Hermione Granger could not get the image of Draco's dimple out of her mind. _Behind all that anger and hatred, there must be someone nice down there. Someone who is caring, and pleasant to be with, _she thought to herself. She peeked shyly over Ron's shoulder, looking in the direction of the Slytherin table where the blonde haired boy was sitting amongst his cronies, smiling weakly at something Goyle had just said. 'How was Hannah? I heard she's not that bad of a dancer, and you weren't bad either!' Hermione commented, striking up a conversation.

'Oh, Hannah's not bad at all. She's been taking ballroom dancing lessons ever since she was five…' Harry said. _Just like Malfoy_, Hermione thought. 'But she was a tad annoying. She kept correcting my posture. She reminds me a little of Aunt Petunia when I'm doing the dishes. But overall she was alright…' Harry trailed off, looking behind Hermione.

Hermione turned to see Ginny standing behind her, Luna linked onto her arm, gazing into space.

'Hi,' Ginny said shyly. 'Erm, Ron, Luna has agreed to go to the ball with you, haven't you Luna?'

'Oh yes,' Luna replied, her voice dreamy. 'Hello Harry Potter, hello Ronald Weasley, hello Hermione Granger,' she greeted. 'It's very nice of you to ask me to the Yule Ball, Ron. I thought I would be going alone… Although that's fine by me. I don't mind going alone. No one seems to like me much; they all think I'm… peculiar.'

'Oh… it's alright Luna. I don't mind going with you… You seem…' he hesitated to find the right word. 'Unique.' He decided after a while.

Luna looked pleased.

Students started filling out of the Great Hall to their lessons as did Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna.

Audrey O'Young – 31st December, 2011


End file.

Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance